Follow up question:Should We Call the School and Report What Happened Last Night

Absolutely not! The police are the professionals in this case. You have to let them do their jobs. You may be correct about the facts as you understand them, but there really could be more information that you are not privy to. If you believe you have information that the police don't have, call them. You can even tell them that, as a parent, you believe they should notify this other school. But do not call the school! You would do more harm than good.

Maybe the police cannot take his weapons, but can't his wife?? I'd think she has a vested interest in getting them all out of the home.

No. You should NOT call the school and tell them what happened.

You need to call the police and let THEM deal with it. Your calling the school could cause many problems for this W. and be construed as hearsay and gossip. Coming from the police - it is FACT. The school and your neighbor can get angry at the police - NOT YOU.

DO NOT GIVE THEM ANY REASON TO RETALIATE against you. It's that simple. You let the police handle it. This way - she can't sue you for slander or anything else. I'm not saying you are lying. However, I am stating that your emotion can get in the way. and you may say more than you want to.

If your husband was batsh*t crazy - do you want your neighbors calling YOUR PLACE OF WORK?

CALL THE POLICE.

Have you talked to the police about your sons safety? If you think this mentally ill man could go to your sons school to harm him, then yes I would go to your sons school, speak to the Principal, to discuss safety for your son.

I am looking at this from a completely different angle. I think your child's teacher needs to be aware that something happened and that he/she may be upset today. If the teaching staff at the school is aware that something happened they can keep an eye out and have the counselor speak with your child if need be.

I think the authorities should take care of the actual notification of a threat if they see the need.

Take Care,

M

You got a lot of good points. I do believe letting the police handle the notification of the school is best.

That said, if it were my family, I would also go to the police and file a restraining order against this person so he has to stay away from your ENTIRE family per the law.

Best wishes.

What if the Sandy HooK mom told the school if he had said something about the school? I don't know if he had mentioned his jealousy or not but it might have made a difference.

In this situation, you Know this guy is off the hook. Of course I would tell the principal!! This is how people like this take control of a situation because everybody is afraid. Of gossip, of hurting someone's feelings, of legal issues.

Here I go. I am fixin to make someone mad but so be it.
Until you stop worrying about someone's libel lawsuit or Hippa laws or just saving your own skin, there are crazy people who are going to run this world by fear. Common sense should RULE.

Stop the absolute madness of focusing on the gun rights to the exclusion of mental illness changes! Yes, ban the clips. But for goodness sake, when you have a man like this that everybody knows is craziness personified let important people know.

Change the stringent rules about holds for the mentally ill and fund mental health professional and institutions. Do public announcements saying, if you see something, do this...

I would speak with the police, make sure they take a written report of what happened, and get a copy of that report. During that conversation you can ask them what their protocol is in notifying the school of threats against students. Ask to be copied on their notification to the school.

Getting copies of the notifications will serve the purpose of making sure parties have been involved. If the police will not be contacting the school, I would have a discussion with the superintendent. He/She may be very interested as to why the police didn't put them on alert about these people.

My guess? Since the person is already involuntarily committed, and there are weapons and drugs involved, the school already knows. But, neither the police or school know about the direct threats.

I second Michelle G. Forget all those other kids...if you feel your child has been traumatized or in danger, then you need to inform your child's teacher, counselor and principal of what your child has been exposed to.

If you want school staff and other parents to know simply for info sake and you aren't worried about your child, then that is just gossip.

I agree with what Gidget said. Although you got the ball rolling by getting the police on the ball with this, they don't have to tell you everything. There is privacy involved.

The woman's job is very important to her. Give the system a chance to work.

Hopefully they will get this guy on his meds and he will be shocked at his own behavior and want to stay on his meds.

Good luck - we're all thinking of you.

Dawn

I read the other post. How scary for you and your family.
Yes, I would contact your son's school. There has been a threat against students. They need to be aware. They need to put certain plans in place, pass the guys picture around, etc.

As for the bus stop, is there a way to drive him to school? Maybe change his routine until this calms down or you move?

If he has made threats against more than just your son, you should file a police report. http://www.ehow.com/info_###-###-####_advantages-filing-p...

I would also ask the officer in charge about him contacting the wife's school. They may not be aware that she works at a school, and that would be part of his current protocol. This wouldn't be something you would do. Her work needs to also be on alert to the current situation. Again, this would be part of what the police would take care of.

Patty - the system didn't work in Newtown because the Mom kept the problems quiet. She didn't talk to people about it because she was embarrased. The school didn't know to be wary of him.

Right now he is locked away so it isn't like anyone is in danger. They may decide he is a danger and keep him longer. So until you know he is going to be let out I would not be telling the school.

Thank God. I was very worried about you. Maybe when they realize he really is suffering from severe mental issues, they will hold him longer. I would definitely go to the superintendent of schools with the info you have and a picture of him. Children first. This woman's personal life secondary.
Forewarned is forearmed. Please keep us posted. The more people that are aware of him, the better off everyone will be. There eyes will be open. Hugs to you.

The police are already aware of the situation. IMO my child trumps this woman. Sorry.

Dawn, give the system a chance to work. I don't think so. Did the system work in Newtown? No it did not.

Any action is better than no action - I would feel better reporting it to the school and expressing your concerns to the police rather than any 'what-ifs' if this unstable person does decide to take any sort of violent action. It's what we would all want - someone to stand up for your family/community regarding what is obviously an unstable person. In light of all of the recent tragedies, this hits hard for all of us that read your dilemma.

We can always do too little, but even if the police said 'back off - we've got it covered' at least you know you followed what you believed in.

Respecting your neighbor comes secondary - if she is in an abusive relationship with him, she may not tell the whole story as to the threats. The threats were directed at you, and that leaves her out if it at this point.
Good luck.

Seriously...I would move.

I would talk to the police and have them handle it. Do you have the contact info for the police report filed? Scary stuff. Keeping you all in my thoughts.

I would let the police do it! Follow all the "legal" routes then they can't come after you saying you told the school, etc.

Do you have a neighborhood watch group? Maybe get one going so the neighbors can keep an eye on the kids around there!

I would definitely keep on the police to do something!!